Improvement in fences



UNITED STATES HENRY BEAN AND BENJAMIN F. BEAN, OF PAWLING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPRovEMENT IN FENcEs.

Specin'cation forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,330, dated August3, 1875; application led April 16, 1R75.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY BEAN and BENJAMIN F. BEAN, of Pawling, in thecounty of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Fences, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to Jfences of that class ordinarily termedpicket-fences; and the invention consists in forming the rails, and alsothe pickets with grooves in them, in such a manner as to permit the airto enter between the rails and the posts, and also between the rails andpickets, and by thus drying the adjoining surfaces or joints of theseparts more readily after being wet by storms, assist in preventing theirdecaying, as hereinafter more fully described.

Figures l and 2 are face views of a fence embodying our improvements.Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sections of the same, and Figs. 5and 6 are cross-sections of a couple of the pickets detached.

lt is well known that the decay of picket and similar fences is greatlyhastened by rotting of the wood at the joints where the rails aresec-ured to the posts, and also where the pickets are secured to therails, this being caused by the moisture which enters these joints, theyremaining damp long after the other parts have become dry.

To remedy this difficulty we construct the rails with grooves runninglengthwise in their sides and edges, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, eindicating the grooves in the edge of the rails, and ct representing thegrooves in the sides of the same. These grooves may be single, as inFig. 4, or they may be double, as in Fig. 3, it depending somewhat uponthe size of the rail.

In constructing a fence, the upper rail B is preferably placed on itsside, thus bringing the grooves a next to the post, while the grooves eare on the edge to which the pickets are nailed. The lower rails C arereversed, bringing the grooves a next to the pickets, while the groovese are on their lower edge where the rail rests on the shoulder formed bythe notch cut for it in the post A, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. We alsoform a groove, h, in the edge opposite to that in which the groove e isformed, as shown in Fig. 4, this groove h being near the side of therail to which the pickets are fastened, the object being to form agutter for the water to run in, and thereby prevent it from running downover the face of the rail and against the picket-fences, being almostalways more or less inclined in one direction or another, thus insuringthe water flowing along this gutter. In cases where it is not inclinedan occasional notch may be formed to let the water out of the groove h.When the upper rail is arranged on its side, as shown in Fig. 4, thisgroove h Awill come next to that part of the post which projects upalongside of the rail, thus forming an air-space at that point.

It is obvious, however, that the upper rail may be set von edge the sameas the lower one, in which case the groove h will serve as a gutter thesame as below. One corner of the rail is also beveled, as shown at r,which forms an additional air-space when set on its edge. The rails Care also provided with a groove, t, at the point where they rest againstthe posts, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4.

In like manner the pickets O have grooves b formed in their face at thepoints where they rest against the rails, the grooves being eithersingle or double, and about twice as long as the rail is wide, as shownin Figs. l and 2, and also in Figs. 5 and 6. i

By this construction ofthe rails and the pickets, it will be seen thatsurfacesin actual contact at the joints is greatly reduced, and thatspaces or openings are left at all the joints into which the air willenter, thereby drying out the moisture, and preventing the par-ts fromrotting or decaying at the joints.

By the use of suitable machinery these grooves can be cut with greatrapidity, and at a trifling expense, and thus the material can beprepared at the mill or factory, and put in the market ready for use,the same as ordinary rails and pickets are now made and sold. A fencemade of material thus prepared will be far more durable than one made ofthe ordinary rails and pickets, while the additional expense is but atrifle.

We are aware that shingles have been made with grooves in them, and wedo not claim, broadly, the idea of admitting air into the joints ofwooden structures; but

What We claim es our invention is- 3. The pickets O, having the groovesb `:it l. As an improvement in the construction the points where theybear against the rails, of fences, the rails B G, having their sides andsubstantially as shown and described. edges provided -With the grooves aand e, subv stantiaily as and for the purpose set forth. HENRY BEAN.

2. A fence-rail having a gutter or groove, h, BENJAMIN F. BEAN. in itsupper edge near the pickets, for the purpose of conveying away the Waterthat would Witnesses: otherwise enter the joint between the pickets JOHNYEAGER, and the rail. S. D. HUNTER.

